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OCTOBER 06, 2021 @dbbullseye
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Seniors named national scholars Fifteen students were selected as semifinalists for a presitigious scholarship. Lauren cheng Asst. news editor
tions are being taken to protect all students attending this year’s event. “We are able to contact trace if there is a need to because we will know exactly who buys tickets and who attends. Students will be asked to wear masks. All high touch areas will be frequently sanitized,” Van Horn said. “There will be a ton of activities
Exceeding standards once again, 15 Diamond Bar High School seniors have been named semifinalists for the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. The students who have achieved this honor include Emma Fu, Akash George, Brian Hsu, Irene Jin, Jaime Jin, Jason Kim, Han Lee, Nathan Lin, Ryan Lui, Erin Miyahara, Julienne Nguyen, Serena Shih, Steven Tjandra, Jaden Zhang and Eileen Zu. In order to qualify for this title, seniors needed to score in the top one percent of all high school students in the nation, totaling up to 16,000 students. “I would say I was very excited. Granted, I already knew my score beforehand,” Tjandra said. “Ini-
HOmecoming ON P. 3
Scholars ON P. 2
ORANGECOAST The House of Blues, Anaheim, is one branch of an American chain of live music concert halls built with restaurants, where homecoming will be held on October 23.
Homecoming theme undisguised Attending students will be required to abide by new COVID-safe regulations. Lauren cheng Asst. news editor After nearly two years of cancelled high school events, this year’s Homecoming dance has
built anticipation for many Diamond Bar High School students. Although this year’s event will differ from previous years, the event will be held outside of school, as usual. Students will be dressing in accordance to this year’s theme, “A Night in Disguise,” with the venue being held at the House of Blues in Anaheim, which is filled with live music that compliments its overall retro setting. “I think the biggest highlight for
Homecoming this year is that it is off campus. Considering we have not had any off campus schoolwide events since 2020, this is something we are so excited about,” USB Activities Director Janna Van Horn said via email. “Many of our students have never been to an off campus event, so they won’t have any basis for comparison.” Considering attendance will not be limited, several safety precau-
Vandals deface campus property The TikTok trend known as “Devious Licks“ has sparked a series of thefts of school resources.
with included soap dispensers, toilet seats, construction sandbags, lunch crates and other items around campus. As a means to address this issue and inform parents of the trend, the DBHS administration sent out an email expressing their conmk palaris cerns. Asst. A&E Editor “We wanted to bring to the awareness of parents the social media fad that is causing a lot of A recent trend popularized by vandalism to schools across the social media platforms that procountry,” principal Reuben Jones motes property damage and vansaid. “The biggest dalism has been part of the letter sweeping schools “I want to emphasize was to make sure across the nation, that any kind of vandalparents are aware with Diamond ism of any kind of school how social media Bar High School property is unacceptcan be the catafalling victim to able.” lyst of why these such antics as things are hapwell. REUBEN JONES pening.” The trend To help deter dubbed “devious the trend from further damaging licks” emerged around the beginschool properties, TikTok has been ning of September from social meremoving any posts containing the dia platform Tiktok. tag “devious licks.” The premise of the trend has However, despite such efforts students vandalizing school propfrom the administration, the acts erty in exchange for social media have continued to occur on DBHS views. Among the items that were most vandalism ON P. 3 commonly misused or tampered
VASH CHEN Music director Marie Santos of the Thundering Herd marching band guides the brass section in rehearsal of a performance.
Herd storms into musical review
The band marches to its first competition of the upcoming season. Vash chen Asst. photo editor
Putting their best foot forward, Diamond Bar High School’s marching band, the Thundering Herd, prepares to step to the sound of their music for the upcoming Pla-
centia Band Review on October 9. While musicality is the main aspect that is graded during the review, the overall performance and the marching skill of the band will also contribute to their score and final placement in the competition. “We’re focusing on a combination of music and marches. This year in particular, we are spending more time on marching because it’s a brand new thing to 60 percent of the group,” music director Steve Acciani said. Freshmen and sophomore mu-
sicians have yet to perform in a march due to the digital format of last year, presenting new challenges for the band. To negate the stress of inexperienced underclassmen however, the group has been prioritizing marching techniques and self-improvement. “We were worried going into this year because we haven’t seen the freshmen and sophomores at all, but as a group, they are doing outstanding,” Acciani said. “We even
Band ON P. 2
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The Bull’s Eye
News
October 6, 2021
Gaining experience through peer tutoring Upperclassmen can mentor their peers while earning money.
Alyssa Wu, who is among the students who take it upon themselves to tutor others, provides assistance to a peer in need.
Playing to the beat of their drums
the staff Editors-in-Chief News Editors Asst. News Editors
Reyna Wan, Niko Yatawara Marcus Hsieh, Steve Qu Lauren Cheng, Jeremiah Jung
Opinion Editor Asst. Opinion Editors
Reyna Wan Jianlan Busteed, Rachel Lee
Feature Editor Asst. Feature Editors
Sam Jajieh Natasha Chang, Maia Pak Niko Yatawara Taylor Joe, MK Palaris
A&E Editor Asst. A&E Editors Sports Editors Asst. Sports Editors
Deesha Pathak, Charles Tam Nathan Chu, Vera Wang
Photo Managers Asst. Photo Editors
Reyna Wan, Niko Yatawara Vash Chen, Claire Wu Edward Kim Ryan Kung
Business Manager Asst. Business Manager Web Editor Asst. Web Editors
Reyna Wan Natasha Chang, Lauren Cheng
Staff Writers
Kyle Hong, Lyndon Kaneko, Ashley Park, Ethan Ro
Adviser
Connie Chen
contact us Diamond Bar High School, Room 717 21400 Pathfinder Road Diamond Bar, CA 91765 Phone: (909) 594- 1405x33459 Email: eye.editors@gmail.com Business Inquiries: thebullseyebusiness@gmail.com
editorial policy The Bull’s Eye is a public forum that welcomes the views of our readers. Letters to the Editor and Op-Ed pieces will be accepted only if they are signed. The author may, however, request anonymity. The staff reserves the right to edit letters without changing content. You may forward letters to Room 717 or submit them online at dbbullseye.com.
Serena Shih, Akash George, Eileen Zu, Steven Tjandra and Julienne Nguyen are five out of the fifteen Diamond Bar High School students named semifinalists.
Semifinalists shine despite challenges
October 6, 2021
The Bull’s Eye
News
3
Return sees class drops Many students have found it hard to comprehend standard-level concepts.
“I think they [students] were used to having their notes in front of them, and they didn’t really study.”
SHARI DE CAMBRA
Fulfilling civic duties early School takes notice of poor behaviors
AP Government students from Cathy Lee’s class educate young voters on the advantages and importance of pre-registering and passed out registration forms for those interested in immediate enrollment in the official voter list.
Anaheim House of Blues lights up
Photo courtesy of STEVEN TJANDRA Soap dispensers remain stolen despite staffs’ unsuccessful attempts at restoration.
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Opinion
The Bull’s Eye
October 6, 2021
EYE editors
Advocating for attention
OF THE
- OPINIONThe administration should work to better enforce often overlooked COVID-19 regulations during sports games to better protect attendees from the threat of infection.
A
ttending school sports games is a quintessential part of the American high school experience; these events should not be eliminated under any cost. However, with the threat of COVID-19, certain policies should be modified to maintain safety and ultimately ensure that such events can continue to take place. Currently, Diamond Bar High School has various regulations set in place for those who attend school sports games such as wearing a mask, maintaining social distance and staying with the group they came with. Nevertheless, these guidelines have not been enforced up to par. Anybody who walks into one of the home games will quickly realize that the vast majority of viewers have their masks dangling to the side of their face- not being worn appropriately. Not to mention the close proximity in which audience members are seated, despite social distancing requirements. While it is definitely fun for both the athletes and spectators to see the stands packed, and the school has allowed students to take off their masks
in outdoor settings, this is not a health conscious atmosphere and puts everyone in danger, especially now in times of such uncertainty. It is imperative that spectators wear their masks throughout the duration of the event, unless they’re eating. Afterall large gatherings, such as sports matches, are notorious for spreading contagious diseases, such as COVID-19. While many people often enter the game with their masks on, it is not unusual for them to take their masks off sometime during the match. Yet, being unmasked, even for a short amount of time, can be hazardous to the health of the audience, especially for those who are unvaccinated. As a result, social distancing must be strictly monitored. Currently, the school has placed an arrangement of purple dots for the spectators to sit in a socially distanced fashion. However, these small indications are easily overlooked and are not enough to ensure everyone’s safety; the audience must be surveilled to make sure that they are adhering to their assigned locations. If somebody is violating the social distancing guidelines
at a game, they should be called out. One step that these attendees can take to ensure their own safety and the safety of those around them is to stay seated in their respective groups, away from people in other groups. If spectators choose to eat during their games, they should do so quickly and put their masks back on once they finish. An additional threat to the wellbeing of Brahmas attending these large gatherings is students from other schools. Visiting students may unknowingly spread COVID-19 to athletes on the field and spectators in the stands. To help curb this danger, the Diamond Bar administrators and athletic directors should create regulations that strictly prohibit the visiting team from entering the home stands. Instead, DBHS spectators should be required to stay on one side of the stadium, while the visiting team must stay on the other. By wearing masks, maintaining social distance, and staying in the assigned school seating, spectators can help ensure the safety and continuity of in-person sports events.
FROM THE BRAHMA PERSPECTIVE
“
People will come and sit with us and they don’t have masks on and we’re trying to make sure none of us get COVID.
“ ”
LAKOTA WILLIS (9)
There’s no way you’re gonna get it. We do them all the time. We gotta do tests before games, like a day or two days before.
“ ”
FRANCISCO MUNOZ (10)
I see some families that wear masks and some that don’t. I think that’s fine since we’re outside, I mean I would prefer it if they did.
”
NICHOLE ARANCIBIA (11)
Natasha Chang asst. feature editor
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ith the advent of the Internet, activism has been integral in the shaping of younger generations. With the revitalization of movements for change, comes distortions of the original message, through performative activism. Performative activism exists within every cause; while many prime examples are in regards to social issues, those involving administrative policies, especially in schools and the government, are widespread as well. Though this form of activism allows various issues to be brought to light, it serves more as a means of saving face than actually benefiting a movement as people attempt to distance themselves as much as possible from trending, controversial topics. Deep-rooted change does not transpire overnight, and in the long run, a few months of reposts has no prolonged effect. The results are evident in many aspects of our day-to-day lives. From the planned photoshoots of celebrities at Black Lives Matter protests to the surface-level repost of infographics plastered all over Instagram, the gravitation towards such activism tactics have only increased, and the benefits are exceedingly limited. The black square for #blackouttuesday gradually disappeared as public interest in the movement died down; company social media profiles return to normal almost immediately following the end of pride month. At Diamond Bar High School, this tactic can be seen with the protest of unfair dress code regulations. Recently, students have utilized such tactics to protest the
Protecting my homecoming innocence
Jeremiah Jung Asst. news editor
E
veryone at school loves me, so social events like homecoming always present issues. There are simply too many people who want to go with me and not enough of me to accommodate them all. So, yet again, I won’t be attending homecoming this year. I always tell my friends that we can just go as a large friend group, because that’s the only way to establish dominance among our peers, since having a huge friend group at school dances is the cooler thing to do anyway; this is obviously not because nobody else wants to go with me. I have tons of options; I mean, whenever the topic of homecoming arises, every single one of my friends says to me, “Let’s go to hoco together!” Of course, I don’t actually plan on going—much to the disheartenment of my friends who are practi-
cally begging for me to come along with them. Aside from my high demand, the social norm these days requires that going to homecoming means asking out a partner—just for everyone to assume that you and whoever you invite are dating each other. What kind of loser puts themself in a situation like that? Besides, these couples get all lovey-dovey with each other, and it honestly makes me sick. The type of things they’ll do for homecoming—matching corsages and all that—disgusts me. Relationships are fickle in high school, and no one really loves each other; it’s all just for attention. In fact, just last week, a random girl passed me in the hallway and told me my Transformers underwear was showing. Her obvious— and honestly desperate—attempt at a display of affection went ignored, since I don’t need a girl deciding whether my appearance is to her liking or not. The worst people, though, are those who prepare huge, fancy posters to ask out their dates, generally with incredibly cheesy one-liners scribbled over them by an artistic acquaintance. It is just so pointless to put so much time and effort into something that won’t even matter
in the long run, anyway. To put a rather spoiled cherry on top of that, I don’t even like the big, social events that our school holds, like our football games. Although I often complain about having limited opportunities to hang out with friends, I’d never show my face at these superficial events if it killed me. Everyone knows that those people who attend are just chasing
fame. They alternate girlfriends or boyfriends every other week and think of these events as another opportunity to “make memories” with other peers--as if I would ever want to spend time with the likes of them. After all, people such as myself, who spend the entire day at home studying to maintain a 3.0 GPA are universally loved by everyone at school, and truthfully, are the ones
school’s policy on appropriate attire on campus, printing flyers to urge fellow classmates to express concerns over this allegedly problematic matter but not taking any immediate action themselves. For true change to be made, petitions and actual calls to action must be introduced; without this, such protests are essentially meaningless. Because of its raging popularity, progressive movements have even started to become capitalized by public figures and corporations, which jeopardizes one of the essential ways that the general public can criticize topics. Because of the prioritizing of the economy by world leaders, many prevalent issues are often ignored, with capitalistic ventures for economic profit taking precedence over social wrongs. In the past, activism was a way to gain social recognition for such issues, which in turn instigated actions for change. Nowadays, the spreading of social awareness also benefits those who hinder such social progress to begin with, with their utilization of methods such as planned rally photoshoots and production of goods exhibiting the message of trending movements to gain credibility from the public to maximize empathy and profits. Through the nature of media, younger generations are living through an unprecedented time in history where freedom of speech is often blurred with sharing questionable opinions and impractical solutions to nonessential matters. This fixed mindset has had an adverse effect on the public’s view of activism. Instead of widespread support for solutions that are largely beneficial, the current prevalence of movements leaves many concerned over the motivations of the demonstrations rather than the issues themselves. Interest in championing change is always welcomed in our society. However, given the dwindling number of committed advocates, the causes being fought for will suffer the repercussions of massive influxes in momentary support.
SATIRICAL snobbishly
who will really be successful in life, anyway. As homecoming approaches, more and more people around me ask each other out, and a sense of anticipation seems to fill the air. But no matter how many girls try to catch my eye, dreaming of their own homecoming proposal, I’ll remain steadfast in avoiding that dreaded fate and gatekeeping my purity from women.
Cartoon Courtesy of CATHERINE HAN
October 6, 2021
The Bull’s Eye
Opinion 5
Newsom’s revolutionary win Religious clubs foster acceptance
Lyndon kaneko STAFF WRITER
F
Cartoon Courtesy of RUTH YOON
Paralympians denied equal pay During the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, Australian Paralympians were not paid for their medal placements, despite Australian Olympians earning anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 for each medal placement, exemplifying the degrading double standards held between these athletes. In fact, it was not until the 2018 kyle hong Winter Paralympics that Paralymstaff writer pians were even paid for medal placements. This discrepancy rehile the Paralympics are garding the appreciation given to meant to be a competition them is undeserved as their events that recognizes Olympic take impressive amounts of talent level athletes with disabilities, the and dedication. The largest contributor to the credit given to competing paralymproblem is the lack of widespread pians is far from equal. Despite the fact that Paralym- knowledge and media coverage. If the same effort put into telling pians work just as hard as other Olympic athletes, the recognition people about the Olympics was put they receive is miniscule in com- forth for the Paralympics, the athparison. Like the Olympics, the letes would be able to get the pay and credit they Paralympics are deserve for their held every four equal dedication. years and offer a The general public deWhile one may variety of sports serves to know more about think that the such as archery, them and Paralympians name “Paralymwheelchair fencdeserve justice for their pics”, would give ing and swimmistreatement and lack of people the idea ming. that it’s similar Collectiverepresentation. to the Olympics ly, they give a due to the similar chance to athnames, this may work against the letes with disabilities who wish to event’s favor. take part in sports at a competitive This is because onlookers may level. These sports also differ in varying ways, depending on the see the event as a lesser event than the Olympics themselves, especialtype of disability an athlete may ly when the name isn’t mentioned have, with the categories being in the news either. separated by physical, visual and The Paralympics have gone long intellectual impairment. A majority of the sports are enough without any major credit variations on their traditional for athletes who train and compete in such difficult events. The gencounterparts, such as wheelchair basketball, which slightly alters eral public deserves to know more rules, like having to dribble once about them and Paralympians deserve justice for their mistreatevery two times a player turns ment and lack of representation. their wheels.
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or many students, school clubs are an easy and accessible place to explore their interests and connect with others on various topics — religion being no exception. Its existence as a very personal and emotional subject, religion has the potential to shape one’s core values and the morals that they may carry with them throughout their lives. Due to this, students can benefit from the presence of religious clubs on campus as they allow them to connect with students who share similar ideologies. Not to mention, these clubs are completely optional, so students can choose to participate in them and won’t be penalized if they choose to opt out. Contrary to common belief, religion does not always have to be associated with worship. Religious clubs can abstain from worshiping and be purely based on spreading information. Instead, students that may be interested in religion but not as open to prac-
ticing it can still find these clubs useful, since their accessibility on campus makes it much easier to educate themselves on different religions. Compared to visiting religious structures like churches or temples, which can be daunting for someone new to a religion, religious campus clubs offer a more casual and welcoming atmosphere for inquisitive students. However, some oppose having religious clubs on school campuses--primarily public schools--as its allowance toes the line of integrating religion with education. Additional funding received from schools can be twisted in a way where it could fall down a slippery slope of violating the First Amendment, with its Establishment clause prohibiting the government from establishing religion, and using that to abolish the club. Despite this being a major concern, having religion exclusively as a club prevents this from happening and simultaneously creates a safe place for students wanting to learn or share their religious beliefs. Since a club is different from a class, if the club does not align itself with a student’s particular beliefs, then they have the freedom to not participate in them. These clubs play a large role in student identity and provide an environment where one can feel like they belong.
“Where are you from?”
REYNA WAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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here are you from?” I’m sure that every person of color has been asked a variation of this question at some point in their lives—directly or inadvertently. While this question may be well-meaning and reveals an important part of a person’s identity, there remains a difference between genuine curiosity and blatant disrespect. Growing up in Los Angeles means having the privilege to be surrounded by various communities of color. But in our small, suburban area of Diamond Bar, this truth is amplified, especially considering the race percentage at Diamond Bar High School is 85%
Asian-Pacific Islander. Despite this diversity offering multiple opportunities to be wellversed in conversations about race, the amount of times I’ve heard this topic approached in an inappropriate manner is too many to count. While I visually present like people of my heritage, Cantonese-Chinese, I’ve had friends whose name or appearance is more racially ambiguous, subjecting them to random interrogations and, sometimes, even people attempting to guess their racial identity. To some, especially students on our campus, these actions may seem trivial—a fun, little guessing game to get to know the people around you better. But, getting to know someone entails learning small facts about them, not drawing conclusions about their race based on age-old stereotypes. To be honest, I’ve participated in this game myself, watching as people grimaced at my answers that I had no right saying in the first place. No matter if my manner of asking this question was nonchalant or serious, there is no situation where a person should feel
like their race is being joked about or admonished. So then, what does qualify as an appropriate attitude when broaching this topic? First, it’s important to understand how ambiguous the question “where are you from?” is. While some will automatically see it to mean their race, some might answer with their city, state or country of birth, rightfully so. Instead, words like “culture” or “heritage” should be used as they hold direct connotations to one’s background. Asking the question with a tone of genuine curiosity is equally as necessary. To admonish or tease the other party when they choose not to answer such a personal question is completely uncalled for. It’s their identity, not yours, and they have no obligation to answer any questions about their culture to someone they might’ve just met. A person’s heritage is not something for people to guess, nor is it something that others are required to know—it’s a part of who they are and, if they do choose to reveal this, it’s something that deserves respect.
RACHEL LEE
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Feature
The Bull’s Eye
October 6, 2021
Crafting through quarantine rachel lee ASST. opinion EDIITOR For Diamond Bar High School alumna Charlotte Tu, what began as a way to sell off a pair of Among Us earrings evolved into a small business with about 22 thousand Instagram followers, all in less than a year. Tu, who officially opened her shop, @artsndinks on Instagram in November of 2020, sells handmade rings and earrings for prices ranging from $7-$9. While she advertises her products and makes shop announcements on Instagram, she actually sells her merchandise through Etsy. “[For] the Instagram sell function, I had to connect it to Facebook, and I couldn’t figure it out, so I just didn’t do it,” Tu said. “But Etsy, they do a lot of the stuff for you, they make the interface really easy for sellers to use [and] they do all the shipping stuff for you too, so it’s just the easiest option, I think, if you’re starting out.” Though Tu has been into the arts her entire life, she did not actually begin making handicrafts until the
establishment of her business. For the most part, Tu said that she was more used to creating small paintings. “I actually started because it was quarantine, I think a lot of people started things during quarantine and this was my little, like, quarantine baby,” Tu said. At the beginning of her small business journey, Tu said that she never expected her business to expand as much as it did. She attributes much of her business’s growth to the Instagram reels she uses to advertise for her rings, where she shows her processes for making them. “I think it’s really interesting seeing how a small business runs behind the scenes, so that’s kind of where the marketing comes in. People can just see what I sell and just buy it [after] seeing how I make it,” Tu said. Her general process for producing new items usually starts with creating a design that she thinks would be something she would wear. Then, she uploads a picture of a demonstration sample to her Instagram. That weekend, Tu be-
gins crafting the orders she receives and sends them to the post office by the middle of the following week. Tu’s rings, which are her best selling products, were first listed in February when she saw how popular rings were becoming. After noting that most of the clay rings being sold online were too bulky and uncomfortable for her to wear, she made her own. So far, some of her favorite creations include mood rings, which feature different facial expressions in primary colors, and one of her more recent releases—a design of a cow. “Usually, I think it’s the newer things that are more fun [to make], like the newer designs that I’ve had, like the little animals,” Tu said. “As far as the older ones go, like the frogs, those are kind of just like work now, ‘cause they’ve been around for a while, so I’ve made a lot.” One of the problems Tu faced when starting her business included burn-out from making many of the same designs over and over again under stressful time constraints.
Photo courtesy of CHARLOTTE TU Alumna Charlotte Tu celebrating 5000 followers on Instagram with a giveaway. However, Tu managed to overcome her mental blocks with the support of her family and by taking breaks when she wasn’t feeling well. “The people around me are really motivating, like my dad, he kind of just really pushed me to keep going, it’s like I think once you do something enough, you stop thinking about it,” Tu said. So far, she has managed to make
over 2,600 sales and has donated just under $100 to charity. Tu is also looking to further her career in business, as she plans to major in business administration in college. “I want to take artsndinks as far as I possibly can but will understand if it reaches its natural conclusion or if I move on to bigger projects in the future,” Tu said via Instagram.
FBLA fosters business skills When it comes to the Stonewall Riots and leaders in the fight for gay rights, an important but lesser-known trailblazer is Sylvia Rivera. A Latina, transgender activist, she fought, not only for the queer community, but ethnic and racial minorities, not to mention, Americans without housing. Without Rivera and other LGBTQ+ members and allies, queer rights may have continued to be just a dream for gay Americans.
Also assisting in the fight against the suppression of minorities in the U.S. was Sylvia Mendez. During the era in which the landmark decision of Brown v. The Board of Education ended segregated education, Mendez served as an unsung hero. In 1947, her family successfully sued in the Mendez v. Westminster case, which led to the desegregation of public schools in California. Although she was only in third grade at the time, Mendez helped pave the way for desegregation in education by becoming the first Mexican-American to attend an all-white school in her state. Another important figure from the Jim Crow era is Roberto Clemente, who, aside from being one of the first Latin-American baseball stars in the U.S., was an activist for racial injustice. Clemente was known for speaking out against the segregation he faced as an Afro-Latino American and was an admirer of Martin Luther King, Jr. ‘s work; he even met with King to discuss the oppression of Black Americans and how it affected his personal experiences as a Black pro-athlete. Taking advantage of his platform, Clemente also hosted free baseball clinics for underprivileged youth.
edward kim business manager As interest in the business and finance increased over the years, FBLA was founded to create opportunities for students to explore different aspects of the business world through events, projects and conferences. An acronym for the “Future Business Leaders of America,” the club works to develop skills in various areas; leadership, communication and public speaking are the main ones. Senior co-president Vanessa Chen explained how the club strives to prepare members for its annual business conferences. What differentiates their competitions from other clubs is that FBLA helps its members in deciding their future jobs by introducing them to specific fields within the business world, ranging from business communication to financial literacy. In addition, officers have been introducing new resources to prepare club members for upcoming competitions and projects; these resources may come through the form of study resources, such as articles or study sessions. “For competitive events, we help members prepare for them by registering them, introducing them to each event, and providing mentorship using past competitors in
their events,” senior co-president Jaden Zhang said. Past events hosted by FBLA has included meetings with senators, workshops and alumni panels. Similar events are in the planning stages this year, where officers are organizing an event in which club members can talk to California senators and learn about the relationship between politics and business. Vice President of competitive events, senior Mingyu Liu explained that, although the club might seem to solely revolve around business, it actually goes even further than that, tackling areas like public speaking and writing. “A lot of the events I competed in might not seem really business-related, but they certainly are examined from a business perspective/ lens,” Liu said. Liu also described his experiences with the club and how much it helped him grow his business skills, which could also apply to others. “FBLA is still beneficial in helping develop those business soft skills that will carry on with you for the rest of your life,” Liu said. “Heck, I’m pretty sure one of the reasons why I currently have a paid internship was due to the numerous FBLA workshops I attended.”
Photo courtesy of VANESSA CHEN Club Officers of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) posing at club rush.
October 6, 2021
The Bull’s Eye
Feature
7
Frosty’s maze offers a chilling attraction Taylor Joe Asst. A&E editor
CLAIRE WU Hungry Bulldog House, located in the BBQ Stop plaza, an array of Asian dishes.
Disappointing Asian cuisine Marcus Hsieh News editor The Hungry Bulldog House, nestled on South Lemon Avenue and Golden Springs Drive, offers a selection of unmemorable Asian fusion street snack foods that miss the mark. Although branded as a Korean-style restaurant, the fare at the Hungry Bulldog House includes a variety of Asian specialties, ranging from pork katsu and Japanese curry to Korean-style hotdogs and tteokbokki. A few specialty Asian soft drinks are offered as well as sodas and water. Upon entering the restaurant, a large repeating print of the establishment’s logo dominates the restaurant’s look. The wooden tabletops are nondescript, pairing well with the black industrial metal chairs and completing the modern aesthetic. The restaurant also accounted for COVID-19 concerns, disinfecting tables between customers and offering hand sanitizer at every table. However, what was truly surprising was how empty the restaurant was. Despite it being a Saturday lunch hour, it was empty when my family and I arrived. We ordered the Hungry Bulldog House’s
signature Cheese Dog ($3.99), original pork katsu ($12.99) and popcorn chicken ($12.79), all of which were served within 15 minutes. The Cheese Dog came as a deepfried, panko-crusted corn dog with a side of sugar. Its larger size hid a minuscule hot dog buried under a large mass of cheese, which was at maximum a quarter-length of its normal brethren. The remainder of the space was dominated by a mass of melted cheese, leading to a frantic race to the hot dog before the cheese solidified. The thick, panko-crusted dough became increasingly undercooked as I neared the bottom of the snack, eventually taking on the consistency of mochi. The Cheese Dog was an interesting novelty at best, but left much to be desired between the dough, flavorless cheese and miniature hot dog. Thankfully, the original pork katsu fared better than the Cheese Dog. Coming with sides of rice, katsu sauce, shredded cabbage with Thousand Island dressing, jalapenos and pickled daikon, the pork katsu was a generous portion for the price. Although cut in conservative slices, the dish gracefully escaped the most common katsu shortcoming: dry, tough meat. On the other hand, the popcorn
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With Halloween approaching, Frosty’s Dark Harvest Corn Maze, located in Chino, has risen from its grave to offer thrilling and frightening attractions with semi-scary jumpscares. Open from 7pm-12am until Oct. 31, the maze costs $30 dollars per person and takes place in a cornfield behind a pumpkin patch and some kiddy rides. The dark setting created an unsettling atmosphere, and this spookiness was amplified by the three workers at the foot of the maze holding chainsaws. Considering that these three individuals could corner you and touch you with their props, they were easily the scariest part of the maze. As I was walking through the cornfield with three of my other friends, we encountered seven bloody rooms that you had to
pass through; each pertaining to a unique theme. We went through all the rooms, one of which was an abandoned house with a man who swings his butcher knife to scare you, and another where there are gorey, bloody clowns that pop out behind hidden doors. The screaming of the workers and the sounds of sirens complemented the murderous themes of these rooms, keeping your knees weak and palms sweaty. Although I enjoyed the creative jumpscares, I was a bit underwhelmed by the short-lived thrill of the maze, since the majority of the attraction consists of participants walking through the cornfield. I also expected there to be more jump scares from the workers hiding among the corn plants, but there were only two---one at the beginning and another at the end--which caused the frightening feeling to be brief. However, if you think you’ll be safer hiding behind your friends, you’re sadly mistaken. Whereas I
only received one underwhelming jumpscare at the beginning, my two friends hiding behind me got stuck with a bleeding US solider following after them— a fate much more frightening than mine. With that being said, as someone who hasn’t gone to a haunted house in a while, I was impressed with the overall presentation of each room and the people involved in scaring the participants. Each bloody makeup look and costume was realistically disturbing, and combined with the gory props planted within the twisting maze made the experience of finding your way out more thrilling and exciting. Even though the website has an estimated time of 30 minutes to complete the maze, we ended up finishing in just 15 minutes. Although it wasn’t scary to the point where I couldn’t sleep that night, the maze definitely isn’t for the faint-hearted. Overall, Frosty’s Dark Harvest Maze is a good place to go for brief, creepy jumpscares.
Photo courtesy of TAYLOR JOE Frosty’s Dark Harvest Corn Maze employees pose for a spooky picture with participants after they complete the attraction.
Cruelty planted in animal processing industries Maia pak Asst, Feature editor Working to shed light upon the realities of animal processing industries, Diamond Bar High School students Lynea and Alexander Morton-Dyke are educating others on veganism through various protests and rallies. Though both siblings were raised vegetarians, they transitioned to veganism at the early ages of six and seven after learning about the unethical practices used in the dairy and egg industries. However, it wasn’t until 2019 that they began attending protests to further share their knowledge and beliefs. “Our first protest was Animal Rights March,” DBHS junior Lynea Morton-Dyke said. “It felt really nice to be around like-minded people and just stand up for the animals.” Founded in the UK, Animal Rights March is a world-wide
event with over 41,000 participants from cities around the world. In addition to this yearly event, the Morton-Dykes have also worked alongside other animal rights foundations, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, March of Silence and Anonymous for the Voiceless. “In Anonymous for the Voiceless, four people stand in a cube, it’s called the cube of truth, a n d e a c h person holds a T.V.
screen showing footage of different industries,” Lynea Morton-Dyke said. Video footage is one of the main tools these teen activists use to show others the cruelty embedded in the animal processing industries. Animals in these industries are forced to live in unhygienic and inhumane conditions, which is why the footage is such a powerful tool that protestors utilize. “You see how sad the videos are, like the truth about what happens, but some people make jokes about it,” Lynea Morton-Dyke said. “The cognitive dissonance some people express makes me feel sad.” With the rise of organic fad diets, many buzz words such as “freerange” or “all-natural” have become increasingly common on meat packaging. However, these terms are often used with little to no regulation in the United States. “The industries keep it hidden from the public because they don’t want to lose money,” Lynea Morton-Dyke said. “We kind of just
Photo courtesy of ALEXANDER MORTON-DYKE From left to right, Alexander, Lynea and Svea Morton-Dyke reguarly attend protests to advocate for ethical treatment of animals in various animal industries. want to show the truth to people.” The Morton-Dykes mainly advocate for better treatment of the animals involved in the meat, dairy and egg industries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many protests and events were cancelled, changing the way the Morton-Dykes continued their activism work. Lately, the activists are promoting a vegan diet on
their personal Instagram accounts, @_scorpionvenom_ and @itsmelynea, by posting about the different events and protests they attend. In the future, the Morton-Dykes hope to expand their activism work both online and in-person. “I could still see myself trying to help the animals and bring light onto their suffering,” Lynea Morton-Dyke said.
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Arts and Entertainment
The Bull’s Eye
October 6, 2021
NIKKITUTORIALS
Popular beauty youtuber Nikkie de Jager, better known as NikkiTutorials, exceeded expectations with her first ever Met Gala look. The makeup guru attended the gala in an Edwin Oudshoorn aquamarine tulle gown inspired by queer rights activist Marsha P. Johnson. The outfit was enhanced with colorful floral arrangements artistically placed all over the fabric, completed with a sash woven into the train of the dress with Johnson’s iconic phrase, “Pay it no mind,” written across it. With de Jager having recently come out as a trans woman, this hommage to one of America’s most iconic gay activists made for a flawless take on the theme of American independence.
Perhaps one of the largest charity and fashion events of the year, the Met Gala saw the addition of social media stars on its red carpet—receiving mixed reactions from the media. In light of the unprecedented cancellation of the event last year, and to celebrate the influence of American fashion and designers alike, the theme for this year’s function was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” Listed are some notable looks worn by this year’s new wave of prominent entertainment figures that celebrate the cultural shift in the conception of American fashion. EMMA CHAMBERLAIN
Whilst hosting Vogue interviews during her Met Gala debut, Emma Chamberlain shone in a custom, gold Louis Vuitton dress.
DIXIE DAMELIO
TikTok star Dixie D’Amelio replicated Audrey Hepburn’s iconic l “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” look. Designed by Valentino, the ensemble included a simple, black mini dress and opera-length white gloves. The main component of her outfit was a baroque, black ostrich feather headpiece, spanning down her back. While the headpiece captured the extravagance of the Met Gala, it held no deeper meaning or connection to the theme. Not to mention, the flamboyant addition drew attention away from the overall look and made for a less accurate depiction of Hepburn-- an actress known for her classic, timeless looks. As a whole, the outfit was incohesive and rather random.
story by Maia Pak and Natasha Chang design by Niko Yatawara
The two-piece outfit consisted of an asymmetrical mini skirt tom and a chain link back, which she paired with gold hoop earring. Adorned with thousands of beads and crystals, the dress took 290 hours to hand-embroider. While the dress was impressive, her makeup stole the show with neon graphic eyeliner adding to the 70’s feel of her overall look. Of all the influencers invited to attend this year, Emma Chamberlain was one of the few who met the haute-couture expectations associated with the Met Gala. Want the full scoop? find out more on dbbullseye.com
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producing their own melodies claire wu asst. photo editor Finding new creative mediums, a handful of Diamond Bar High School students have delved into the world of music production, posting their work on platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud. Having played instruments for 6 years, sophomore Ethan Hoang pursued his long-time interest in producing music after having encountered his first heartbreak. In search of an outlet for his emotions, Hoang took to music to express himself. “Before I realized it, I had the desire to make music myself instead of just listening to it,” Hoang said. Under the stage name Esman H., Hoang has published 11 songs on both Spotify and YouTube. Since beginning his musical hobby, Hoang has been featured on the Genius Lyrics website, highlighted in an article on the LA Times HS Insider and received 1.2k views on one of his songs posted on YouTube. “Music has always been something that I can always go back to no matter how terrible my day has been,” Hoang said. “Whether I’ve had a good day or bad one, I always go back home and listen to music.” An interesting aspect that Hoang incorporated into his songs are the vocal samples he uses. Hoang feels that the use of such recordings help capture the raw, unedit-
ed emotion that he feels match his musical style. “At first I was going for more of a lofi hiphop type of style, but as I slowly started to improve, I realized that if I really wanted to, I could make any type of music that I wanted,” Hoang said. “Now I stick mostly with an old school DJ-style hiphop where voice samples are used in the place of lyrics.” Sophomore Alec Wong, who goes by Alsmic, was encouraged, after assisting Hoang with producing his songs, to produce his own music. While most of his music is largely centered around rap or hip hop, Wong occasionally produces instrumentals and lyrical pieces. “My songs typically don’t have a singular topic, and I tend to jump around a lot in-between songs,” Wong said. “But some of the more notable song topics that I’ve addressed are inspirational messages and stories.” With over 1,000 followers on SoundCloud and a total count of 38,000 hits across all his songs, Wong said one of his goals is to achieve 50,000 views on one of his songs, which is in collaboration with other artists at DBHS. Spread out across multiple streaming platforms including Spotify, SoundCloud and Beatstars, senior Joe Lee has achieved 400k plays over 5 years. Lee first started his journey in music production during the summer before his last
Photo courtesy of ANGELINA KIM Angelina Kim has been performing traditional Korean dancing on stages since she was a child, exhibiting her heritage.
Celebrating her cultural roots
Photo courtesy of ALEC WONG Sophomore Alec Wong has recieved 38,000 streams on his original music on SoundCloud.
Guided by melancholic melodies, sophomore Angelina Kim has found her home on the stages of traditional Korean dance. Kim was first introduced to the competitive aspect of the art in third grade, a few years after her parents enrolled her in her first dance class. While she started out feeling forced into the art, Kim soon found her love for Korean dance; feeling like she could express her emotions and relieve stress while doing it. Above all, this dancing style allows her to introduce Korean tradition in places where it may be less prominent. “The type of dance I do is unique and represents Korean culture and I was attracted to that, especially the look on stages,” Kim said. “Once I started taking it seriously, I came to like how I could spread Korean history and culture through dances even outside of Korea in areas like America where it’s not really common.” Kim and her dance organization— Korean American Youth Performing Artists— prepare in solos, duos and subgroups rather than a whole group. Alongside three weekly group practices every Thursday, Friday and Saturday,
Kim attends one private lesson per week to finetune her choreography. The dancer actually starts preparing for upcoming events anywhere from three months to a year in advance in order to perfect her craft and ensure she is stage ready. “Around one month before the competition, we would get all the clothing, hair and makeup prepared,” Kim said. “And then there’s dress rehearsals a couple weeks before competition.” Among the numerous awards Kim has received throughout her dancing career, two that mean the most to her include a sub-group win in the Korean instrument category and a third-place individual finish in the traditional dance category, which she earned in early September 2021. “When I had first heard that I won third place for my individual dance, I questioned if it was a mistake,” Kim said. “ I could not imag-
ine being placed third out of 25 other dancers but at the end of the day, I felt proud and accomplished of my work.” A couple of Kim’s favorite subcategories of traditional dance are Taegukgi and Taepyeongmu. Taegukgi is an emotional dance based on a Korean historical figure named Yu GwanSun—a young woman who stood up against Japanese Imperialist Forces during the Japanese invasions of Korea. The latter is a bit different. Danced by the nobles in the earliest centuries, it was used to wish great peace upon a country. “I prefer the sadder and more emotional dances because I can pour more of my emotion into it and express it to the audience,” Kim said. “And honestly, compared to the other dances, it’s a lot harder and more technical because you have to touch the audience’s hearts and make them feel what you are feeling.” She is currently preparing for another performance later this month, in which she will perform a mix of traditional and fusion dance styles.
his mother’s homeland, pulling him back into a world filled with mystical creatures and kung fu warriors, each helping him unravel hidden truths along the way. In painting this elaborate backstory, the film uses a series of flashbacks to slowly reveal the deterioration of his family’s bond. Offering contrast to this darker tone is Shang’s best friend, Katy (Awkwafina). While her character primarily serves as comic relief, she becomes more involved in Shang’s journey, even joining him in his later battles. Overall, the characters in “Shang-Chi” are complex, funny and easy to empathize with. T h e main antagonist of this film
is Shang’s father, Wenwu (Tony Leung). Wenwu is more complex than many of the other Marvel villains as much of his action is caused by the love for his children and the hopelessness he felt after the death of Shang’s mother. In terms of the actual cinematography, the fight scenes in “Shang-Chi’’ were exceptional, surpassing the high standards of Marvel. For example, Ta Lo, the magical realm of Shang’s mother, immerses its audience through realistic CGI and breathtaking scenery that seem quite literally “out of this world.” One of the most notable wins for the film, however, is representation. Under the guidance of Asian-American director Destin Daniel Cretton, the film not only stars a predominantly East Asian
cast, but also successfully incorporates Asian culture in its plot. Without being cliche, the film pays notable tribute to Chinese culture and folklore. From subtleties like Katy and Shang breakfasting on Jook (porridge) together to referencing name changes, “Shang Chi” includes relatable details for its Asian-American fans. But, perhaps the movie’s largest nod to Chinese folklore is its inclusion of dragons. Traditionally, dragons are the most respected animals in Chinese mythology and, in “ShangChi,” they are a recurring element.
Not only does a dragon statue illuminate the path to Ta Lo, but they even play a large role in shaping the weaponry and armor used in the final fight scene. Moreover, the film avoids harmful stereotypes traditionally imposed on East Asians. Hollywood is known for its generalization of East Asian cultures, often mixing them together and disrespecting these distinctly different countries. Even worse though is the industry’s stereotypical portrayal of Asian characters, as Asian men are portrayed as weaker and feminine and Asian women being portrayed as ‘exotic’ under the ‘dragon-lady’ stereotype. Shang-Chi completely avoids these generalizations by having Katy as a humorous sidekick and Shang an ambitious protagonist. Along with being a cinematic success, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” paves the way for further inclusivity in media.
ryan kung asst. business manager Featuring Marvel’s first Asian superhero, “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” met it’s high expectation by integrating traditional martial arts, fantasy and Asian representation into mass media. The supernatural martial-arts movie, which occurs within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is clad with thrilling fight scenes and heartwarming depictions of platonic relationships. The story follows Shang (Simu Liu)—a valet parker haunted by his past after his escape from the Ten Rings organization. After a turn of events, Shang is forced to seek out
music on p.13
ethan ro staff writer
October 6, 2021
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A delve into your psyche While most independent video games are mocked for their poor graphics and pixelated designs, a handful of these games are hidden gems, ditching the cheap, in-your-face jumpscares that so many mainstream horror games are defined by, and instead capture the true essence of horror by utilizing a creepy atmosphere. Opening the door to a world filled with horrific depiction of real life is unnerving, which is exactly what “Yume Nikki” accomplishes. In this game, players are submerged in the perspective of Madotsuki—a young girl traversing into the depths of her own mind. Despite the title translating to “Dream Diary,” Madotsuki’s mind is nothing short of a nightmare. From a staircase full of realistic-looking hands jutting out from the floor to bloodshot eyes staring ambiently from the background, “Yume Nikki” falls straight into the category of an uncanny valley. The game tasks players with collecting 24 items (known as “effects’’) which allow for game progression. Once all the items are collected, the player can see the game’s eerie ending.
OMORI
Yume Nikki
Don’t let the cute and colorful artstyle fool you— “OMORI” is far from the adoable RPG it initially seems to be. This psychological horror game fills you with a false sense of security, showcasing heartwarming moments between friends, only to later explore themes of depression, anxiety and suicide. Players are immersed in the world of the game’s protagonist, Sunny, who is a young, reclusive boy. We soon find out that once Sunny falls asleep, the player controls his alter-ego, Omori, in a dream world called “Headspace.” The key concept in “OMORI” is that narrative-wise, everything has already happened; it’s up to Sunny to overcome enemies to seek the truthw or to continue running away from it.
“Ib” tells the sinister story of a young girl named Ib visiting an art gallery with her parents. Looking at the exhibits as a means of entertainment, Ib wanders off only to eventually find herself alone. The gameplay is based on logic puzzles that may require a bit of backtracking, along with dodging enemies. While initially holding the lonely atmosphere of the aforementioned “Yume Nikki,” it somewhat dissipates, as Ib slowly finds companions to accompany her in search of a way out. The game features multiple endings, leaving it up to the player to decide if Ib stays all alone or finds a way out.
Ib Story and graphic: Mk Palaris
Brahmas honor past traditions ashley park staff writer Combining string and woodwind instruments to recreate the poignant sounds China is known for, Diamond Bar High School’s Chinese traditional music club brings together students to play ancient Chinese instruments. The club, which meets weekly, was first started by junior Steve Zhang in February of 2020. Inspiration struck the now club president in the middle of an orchestra rehearsal during which the group was playing a historical piece. “I was enlightened and thought the same could be done with traditional Chinese instruments,” Zhang said via email While the club focuses on playing these foreign instruments, it also aims to educate and highlight their origins and the historical background of each piece the group plays. “What’s different about a Chinese orchestra is that you could feel the emotions written in the music as both the audience and the musician,” Zhang said. Those with no experience in such music but who show interest in learning, are permitted to join the group too. The club has been collaborating with orchestras since May 2021
and has been working with the Irvine Chinese school to spread Chinese culture as well as promoting the club. Such collaborations were only possible through the help of Zhang’s private flute teacher. Although the group is currently going through its introductory phase, they plan to change the club’s focus to educating members on the history of Chinese music, as well as obtaining instruments. Once the group gets acquainted with their new instruments, members will be permitted to go through an audition process to join a separate performing ensemble within the club. “If they manage to exceed in that instrument to a certain skill level, I will audition them with the vice president,” Zhang said. “If they pass, we’ll offer them to join our concerts.” The club encourages members to invest in their own instruments as well. However, if they cannot, the club can provide one for the members, with a 50 dollar fee and contract to pay for any possible damage. This fee goes to the club’s fund which will eventually be used to buy more instruments. While it’s still a developing club, the members are excited to introduce students to the art of Chinese music.
Photo courtesy of TIFFANY LIU
Tiffany Liu focuses on creating digitalized works for franchizes she enjoys, such as the popular game, Genshin Impact.
Illustrating a passion in art Nathan chu asst. sports editor With an iPad Pro in hand, Diamond Bar High School junior Tiffany Liu has illustrated over 10 pieces of work and shared them with her over 8,000 social media users. Since dedicating her, once personal, Instagram account to focus solely on her art, Liu has established connections with many other digital artists and created pieces for various brands. While Liu’s interest in art developed fairly young, it was her grandparents who kept her in pursuit. Starting from kindergarten, her grandfather enrolled her into local art classes and, over time, Liu started to view it more as a career path than a hobby. “There really wasn’t anything special about my art during that time,” Liu said via Instagram. “I only kept pursuing art because my grandparents encouraged it a lot.” In 2019, the artist began publishing her work more frequently on her Instagram, @greenionpan,
mainly posting digital artwork that’s inspired by her favorite video games. “The popularity rolled in when I started drawing Animal Crossing art. It was during the beginning of quarantine, when [Animal Crossing New Horizons] kept everyone from going crazy,” Liu said. Since building her account, Liu
“My goal for the future is to post more often while creating less boring artworks.” TIFFANY LIU has collaborated with several franchises, such as Animal Crossing and Genshin Impact. Liu noted one of the most beneficial collaborations she participated in was “Sky: Children of the Light,” where she helped design a Tarot deck— a design that later earned her recognition from the game’s studio and developers.
“I don’t stick to a specific franchise for very long unless it really interests me. I switch around to whatever entertains me the most in my free time,” Liu said. “At the moment, I draw a lot of art relating to [the game] Genshin Impact.” She has also expanded outside of these collaborations, taking a limited amount of commissions during the summer. However, due to school, Liu has restricted the amount and kind of commissions she does. “I’m not the best at balancing but I make sure that I only draw major pieces on Fridays and weekdays when I have more free time,” she said. While Liu currently posts her renditions of popular video game characters, she expressed her desire to move away from these preexisting figures and focus more on original characters. “My goal for the future is to post more often while creating less boring artworks. I feel like my art is very basic for someone my age and that I need to work harder to improve it,” she said.
October 6, 2021
12 Business
Grand opening fails expectations review from P.7 chicken was the worst dish I’ve ever had the displeasure of experiencing. In a feeble attempt at the common Taiwanese street food, Hungry Bulldog House’s popcorn chicken resembled bite-sized chicken tenders more than anything—a
fact solidified by the dish’s side of ranch sauce. Ignoring its failings as popcorn chicken, the dish was tender, nicely seasoned and had a good texture. The main redeeming qualities of Hungry Bulldog House are the care and thoughtfulness of the staff. The cashier and waitress brought us water without asking and were very polite through our interac-
tions. While the taste may be mediocre, the Hungry Bulldog House offers generous portions of Asian specialties at excellent value. As the restaurant weathers the COVID-19 pandemic with a soft opening to gather some customer feedback, it remains to seen what improvements will come with the grand opening.
October 6, 2021
Business
The Bull’s Eye
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Composing their own music Last from P.10 year of middle school. “I love to make music because it is my escape from this complicated world we live in,” Lee said. “When I’m in my home studio, I don’t need to worry about other responsibilities and I dive into the free world of musical production.”
Lee works with a variety of musical entities, but primarily focuses on instrumentals, sometimes including vocals, and writes lyrics for other singers that he has worked with before. Although he usually makes rap and lofi genre of music, his best known songs usually fall into the genre of lofi music. In his songs, Lee plays with a variety of instruments, including piano, ma-
rimba, drum set, cello, violin and guitar, occasionally using them as amplifiers on guitars. “How I choose what instruments to incorporate depends on the style I’m going for,” Lee said. “I use whichever instruments sounds the best for that beat, it’s all very subjective.” They use their passions to share emotions in the form of music.
14 Sports
The Bull’s Eye
October 6, 2021
Brahmas slide into artistic competition Three athletes find success in individual competitive skating outside of school. Ashley Park Staff writer Gracefully gliding across the stage, three Diamond Bar High School athletes are venturing outside of traditional sports to something a bit more creative— figure skating. Among these athletes are senior Serena Shih, junior Katherine Ly and sophomore Melody Zhang; all introduced to the sport around the age of 6. Shih was first exposed to the figure skating community when one of her friends invited her to go skating. This one hangout spurred her towards a continuing 10 year commitment to figure skating. Having her very first competition in 5th grade, Shih said that her performance was neither outstanding nor poor. Despite this, she still ended up winning second place. “My first competition was probably the scariest one of all the ones I’ve done, which is funny since my elements only got harder from there,” Shih said. One of Shih’s notable figure skating achievements include a Double Gold Medal in Moves in the Field and Free Skate, both progress level tests that are equivalent to a Certificate of Merit test for instruments. What this means
is that Shih has tested and passed at one of the highest levels of US figure skating. In addition to being ranked 22 in the Pacific Coast Section, Shih strove for even more when she also placed 77 nationally in the 2019-2020 season. Unlike Shih, Ly was introduced to figure skating when her parents wanted her to start a sport. Ly had attended various tryouts for other sports; however, none of them clicked with her like figure skating did. Her most recent competition was on September 18 where she competed under the US Figure Skating club, a premiere training center for
“I enjoy when I skate fast when I’m angry because it helps me leave everything behind and forget about it [...].”
KATHERINE LY
aspiring Olympians. As it was her first experience, she mentioned how nerve-wracking it was seeing so many other great figure skaters. “I got a new view of competing from a professional point of view,” Ly said. Some of Ly’s accomplishments in her figure skating career include winning first place at her first competition as well as her rink’s artistic trophy. Zhang had a similar experience of being invited to go skating with her friends; since that day her career took off.
“It was definitely scary at first but I felt very accomplished after skating for about 2 hours,” Zhang said. “Plus, my coaches were very patient and kind with me, so I asked my mom to sign me up for weekly lessons.” Not only has figure skating affected Zhang physically, it also strengthened her mentality. Figure skating has pushed her to work out more and grow a tougher mindset when approaching things she is not instantly good at. When Zhang was faced with overwhelming conflicts that affected her figure skating career and felt she couldn’t overcome it, she would feel discouraged and oftentimes want to give up. In these times of troubles, Zhang has been motivated by her skating friends. Seeing how they could manage their own conflicts with skating always brought her back. Some notable achievements of Zhang were winning a couple first place medals and trophies when she was younger and reaching the second highest level of certification for skating. However, every athlete has their own challenges and slopes to overcome. In the past year, mental health has been a big struggle for her; Ly had a mental block for two months while learning how to land the difficult move of a double salchow. “It [figure skating] really is a coping mechanism for me when it comes to stress,” Ly said, “I enjoy when I skate fast when I’m angry
because it helps me leave everything behind and forget about it for half an hour or an hour or however long I skate for.”
All three individuals may continue to go through their ups and downs, but they ultimately persisted to get to where they are today.
Photo courtesy of KATHERINE LY Junior Katherine Ly figure skates at the 2021 Pasadena Open Championships.
Rallying together in pursuit of success Following early losses, girls tennis comes back to break even in their record. Claire WU ASST. PHOTO EDITOR
CLAIRE WU Junior quarterback Ryan Lewis aims for a pass to an open receiver in their September against with Katella High School.
Football gains traction following first season victory Diamond Bar football improves and adapts to new circumstances after three consecutive losses. Ethan Ro Staff Writer
Despite opening their season with three consecutive losses, the Brahmas are coming off strong from their win against the Montclair Cavaliers and hope to build on such momentum through the remainder of the season. Throughout the past four games, senior slotback Mikey Gorbea II has proved to be one of the team’s offensive stars, averaging 223 rushing yards. All of these openings for Gorbea were made possible by the quick decision making of junior quarter-
back Ryan Lewis, who currently averages 195 yards per game and has thrown eight touchdowns so far this season. “Our offensive line is the best offensive line I’ve had since I’ve been here,” head coach Jeff Reitz said. “We’re averaging over 40 points per game, and it’s just going to get better and better.” Defensively, the Brahmas have been struggling due to the loss of eight starting players. Despite such circumstances, under Reitz’s coaching, the new starters have begun showing signs of improvement, putting them to good use on the field. Reitz also mentioned the phenomenal playing of a couple veteran starters—seniors Victor Flores and Isaac Mejia. “The [new starters have been] showing signs of understanding what their roles are and being incredibly aggressive on defense,”
Reitz said. In preparation for the annual Branding Iron game against Walnut, Reitz would like to see an improvement in the team’s offensive and defensive sides. “Walnut is going to be the best team we face in the next six games,” Reitz said. “They’re huge and incredibly well coached.” According to Reitz, a balanced and unguardable offense combined with a defense that forces more turnovers and stops will be the key to winning against stronger teams such as Walnut. “There are teams that throw the ball well and we haven’t fared with teams that throw the ball and run the ball well, so we have to make a decision on which one to isolate and focus on,” Reitz said. The Brahmas now have a 2-4 overall record and will play a non-conference game against the Wilson Wildcats on Thursday.
The Diamond Bar High School girls tennis team swings into a triumphant comeback as they maintain a season record of 3-3. Last season, the team had barely beat South Hills by 10-8. Yet, come their first game against South Hills, the girls improved tremendously, scoring a 13-5 win. “The start of the season has been really good,” junior Caliah Tan said. “During preseason, we had a lot of good matches and we’re starting to get used to everything again.” Over the summer, the team had been preparing for the season meticulously, focusing primarily on working with head coach Alexis Feix. As they begin their season, the team has been continuing to get frequent practices, allowing them to improve in communication between doubles players and overall stamina. “The team has improved a lot be-
cause we’re just coming off our recent season, so the turnaround was quick but the conditioning has improved tremendously,” Feix said. “Our doubles players are starting to work out some strategies and our singles players are going out and grinding out important wins.” Since athletes were able to get back on campus, they’ve been able to figure out the logistics of the team and plan out effective game plans. Though Feix is still working on a strong doubles lineup, she already has juniors Chloe Cadelina and Emily Tsao, as well as senior Laura Gao as the primary singles players. “I feel that we have all worked very hard during our matches and fought hard for every point,” Gao said. “I also feel that we are giving it our all during conditioning and practice as our coach is pushing us very hard to increase our physical and overall fitness.” The team’s huge improvements within skill, communication and conditioning are some of the most notable contributions to the team’s wins. While they are still figuring out the best strategies for a successful season, they are looking forward to winning this year’s League and progress to the CIF.
VASH CHEN Sophomore Jasmine Buenafe hits a backhand down the line to an opponent.
October 6, 2021
The Bull’s Eye
Taking home the gold
Sports 15
Breaking ice and records
Runners across all grade levels place within top 5 and beat personal bests in October Invitational
Holding a tournament record of 6-4, girls volleyball takes first place in the silver division.
steve qu news EDITOR
ashley park staff writer Slowly but steadily building their way up, the girls volleyball team served a strong spike into the month. The team played their first tournament of the season at the Whittier tournaments Sept. 10-11. On the first day of the tournament, the Lady Brahmas took part in a pool play (best of 4 wins) against La Cañada, Bishop Amat and Montebello. Unfortunately, the team lost the first match to the stronger La Cañada team, who is ranked 13th in the state, 16-25 and 20-25. Adding a bit more momentum to their match, the team won against Montebello 25-18, 19-25, 15-9. Despite maintaining that strength against Bishop Amat, the Lady Brahams still lost by a small margin: 25-14, 14-25 and 13-15. While this close loss to Bishop Amat prevented them from qualifying for the gold bracket playoff division, they were still placed as the first seed in the silver division. This wrapped up the first day of the tournament with one win and two losses. “I was proud of how we played the first day and think that it was super helpful in figuring out what worked for us as well as how our team would play together,” junior Brooke Cha said. On the second day, the team had a slower start against Bell Gardens High School in their quarterfinal match, but still won 24-26, 25-20 and 15-3. Getting the hang of triumph, in the semifinals, the Lady Brahmas defeated California High School 2520, 11-25 and 15-11. The final match was against the more skilled Monrovia High School team, but the Brahmas remained strong and kept up their streak, defeating them 20-25, 25-18 and 15-9 and winning their division. The tournament improved the team’s overall record to 6-4. “We entered the second day with the goal of winning our division and we did!,” Cha said, “We all pushed through and we played super cohesively and as a team.” Throughout the weekend, senior Steph Mosley led the offense with 56 kills, and senior Sydney Humphrey and sophomore Priya George contributed 33 kills each. Returning back from an injury, Cha also played a major role as she had 81 assists and 15 aces. “Overall, it was a great tournament for us. We got six matches and five of the six went to three sets so we played a lot over the two days,” head coach Rebecca Bevans said via email. “We have to work on playing our best in all areas of the game.” Through their experiences of games from day one, the team was able to strategize better lineups on the second day, which played a major part in their victory. However, the team is still working to improve and develop their chemistry. Overall, the team is still working on their consistency. Often, they struggle with their offense but maintain a strong defense. Bringing home the gold trophy from their outstanding achievements from the Whittier Tournament, the Lady Brahmas have learned the importance of communication and are still working on better offense to come off even stronger next time.
VASH CHEN
Athletic trainer Chase Paulson tends to a wrist and arm injury sustained during an afterschool scrimmage on a football player.
Plethora of post-COVID injuries Months of pandemic inactivity results in an onslaught of injuries as athletes return to sports. jianlan busteed ASST. opinion EDITOR Just as it takes time to learn math or history, physical fitness can not be developed in a matter of days, especially after months of lounging around and being inactive. Much to the dismay of student athletes post-quarantine, many are struggling to perform at the same level of play as they had in previous years. In an attempt to make up for lost time, some have pushed themselves over their physical limit, leading them to inevitable injury. “A lot of our athletes sat and played video games for 16 months and it shows in the fact that they’re not as fast as they were,” Diamond Bar High School athletic trainer Chase Paulson said. “They get tired easily.” Although coaches have been working to gradually increase students’ physical fitness, the influence of musculoskeletal and joint injuries— including ankle, knee
and elbow— have remained strong in student athletes. Depending on the severity of the injury, athletes could be sitting out for a week, possibly even a month. Freshman Angelina Wu, a junior varsity in cross-country got a knee injury after running an intense, hilly course in summer training. Despite injuring her knee, Wu plans to keep running on it, since it’s not severe enough to warrant a
“A lot of our athletes sat and played video games for 16 months and it shows in the fact that they’re not as fast as they were.”
CHASE PAULSON
break. “If I keep running on it, cause that’s what I’m going to do, then I don’t know when it will get better,” Wu said. “Because I still want to race.” Even if athletes do not get injured at the start of the season, the threat of injury still remains. Since many did not start the season off in the best shape, their bodies are wearing down quicker, making them more prone to injury as the season progresses. Paulson also thinks that, in
the coming weeks, more arm and wrist problems will appear in tennis players as the season comes to a close. Luckily for these students, coaches have recognized the gap in physical abilities, and are doing their best to prevent future injuries. Instead of jumping into the season at full force, Paulson said that coaches have worked to slowly build up their athletes’ fitness. “They’re taking their time with easy drills and lots of repetition to make sure our student athletes understand the movements before moving or progressing to more difficult tasks,” Paulson said. Paulson also said that the number of injuries has decreased since the last season, and even with a decrease in athlete participation, the proportion of injuries to the number of athletes has still remained the same. Patience with student athletes has minimized the chance of getting injured, but students also need to listen to their bodies and not overwork themselves. Paulson advises current athletes to take rest, as continuous exercise without rest does not lead to fitness growth. “One of the biggest parts of getting stronger or…getting better at your sport is to let your body recover,” Paulson said.
Despite having newcomers make up the majority of the Diamond Bar High School cross country team, the runners are off to a strong start with both League Meets and Invitational competitions. The first competition of the season was the 52nd Annual Colton Swarm Invitational, where freshman girls and junior boys placed 3rd and 2nd, respectively. Some star runners included sophomore L’Mio Edwards, senior Carrisa Jeon and junior Simon Worku, who all placed top 5 in the event. “The first league meet of the season was also a success considering 22 of 31 teammates ran their personal best at the time,” Edwards said via Instagram. Based on the team’s latest race at Sunny Hills/Wayne Walker Invitational, the top athletes of the girls team are Edwards, Jeon and junior Jenna Schwarz. The top runners of the boy’s team include Worku, as well as seniors Jacob Moskovitz and Timothy Kang. The first League Meet at Wilson ended with the junior varsity and frosh boys both placing first while the junior varsity and varsity girls both placed 3rd. The second League Meet will be at Bonelli Park on Oct 13. Due to COVID-19, many athletes decided to stop pursuing cross country last year. Because of this, most runners from cross country are newcomers. The third meet will be the last competition of the season if the team does not make CIF.It will happen on Nov 3.
Girls golf putts towards State Championships Thanks to the leadership of senior team captains, Lady Brahmas perform well in first tournament. NATHAN CHU ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Following a successful series of pre-season competitions, the Diamond Bar High School girls golf team consistently proves themselves to be one of the best teams in California. The season began with an optimistic start— the team getting back into regular practices and scoring high at tournaments. According to assistant head coach Jason Tuck, the team is balanced and composed of senior leadership, younger sophomores and promising freshmen. “Although it’s early, the team has shown its competitiveness and desire to win,” Tuck said via email. Their first tournament was the Sandals Invitational Tournament, occurring on September 20th in San Clemente. Arriving there as the two-time defending champions, the team played extremely well and just barely placed second by just one stroke. “Although we didn’t win, we proved we’re among the best in Southern Cal,” Tuck said. “Our
Photo courtesy of EMAGINEPIXEL Senior Bella Yang swings as the Brahmas place second in last month’s Invitational tournament, holding an overall record of 2-2.
league record early on is 2-2, with wins over South Hills, and narrow losses to Walnut.” Thus far, two specific students who have proven themselves in competitions are senior captains Ella Chiu and Irene Park, both consistently scoring in the 37-39 range. Freshman Audrey Im and Peyton Huang have also shown great potential for such young players. Although the girls team has been extremely successful, there have definitely been challenges due to COVID-19, physically and mentally. “Wearing masks while playing golf is a physical challenge and
until it is completely eliminated it will have a psychological impact,” Tuck said. Fortunately though, the girls continue to take precautions and have adapted to social distancing very well. This is mainly because golf is a very individual sport and players can afford to stay six feet apart. Despite the many challenges, all of the golf members are looking towards an optimistic season. The coaches have several goals this year for the team, such as winning the state championship, developing underclassmen into college
level competitors and coaching the students who are passionate about the sport, regardless of whether or not they decide to participate in collegiate golf in the future. “We’re looking forward to making this season fun, while taking the team as far in the playoffs as we can, and still building for the future through the continued development of all of our players,” Tuck said. Their next game will be on October 7, at 12:00 pm at the Mountain Meadows golf course where they will play different schools and look to secure a victory.
The Bull’s Eye
SPORTS
Gorbea works toward Divison I recruitment offers Senior football athlete garners national attention for rushing talent, ranking 2nd in California.
FOOTBALL
TAYLOR JOE asst. A&E EDITOR Tackling the reputation that comes with the All-League MVP crown, senior Michael Gorbea II has continued to score touchdown titles while maintaining his spot as the number two rusher in California. Gorbea has won several awards, including head football coach Jeff Reitz’s Beast Award—an honor given to the strongest and most dominant player on the field. With the amount of yards he has rushed, Gorbea is on track to maintain his ranked spot in the top 100 national high school players. In four games alone, Gorbea was able to reach at least 1,000 yards, even managing the notable feat of rushing 308 yards in a single game. To put this into perspective, a typical football player in the NFL rushes an average of 113 yards per game. Despite receiving athletic scholarships from private schools Damien High School and Bishop Amat High School, Gorbea plans to stay at Diamond Bar to finish out his years in high school football.
OCTOBER AOTM: MICHAEL GORBEA II CLAIRE WU
“[Football is] something that keeps me busy,” Gorbea said. “I love being physical with the contact I have [with my teammates].”
His 10-year passion for football has pushed him in the direction of University of Oregon, the leading football team in the Pac-12. Despite
his affinity for the sport, Gorbea does not plan on football being his lifetime career. “As for the long term I can take
it as far as it will get me, but [as for the future] I don’t want to take it professionally,” Gorbea said. Outside of school, Gorbea practices in the 11 on 11 League—a private football club where players from nearby schools train. When high school football is not in season , Gorbea spends four hours, daily, at 11 on 11 to maintain his skills and stamina. “I still do [11 on 11 League], but only when football season is not in, you just practice football [with other kids],” Gorbea said. Regardless of his talents, it’s Gorbea’s committed football mentality and attitude towards other players that makes him such a stand-out player to Reitz. “He’s easily one of the best running backs in Southern California,” Reitz said. “By the end of the year he will probably have rushed more than almost everybody [in the state].” According to Reitz, his sportsmanship on the team is what makes him a great player to be around, especially for his teammates and coach. Reitz mentioned how his attitude before games encourages the other teammates, maintaining that mature mentality when playing against opposing teams. “He’s incredible, he’s a great kid, he loves his teammates, he understands once he’s in a game, it’s a physically grueling game,” Reitz said. “He respects his opponents… he’s pretty special in that way.”
Boys water polo defends position in league Diamond Bar finds success after a consistent practice routine and upholding a strong defense in games. vash chen asst. photo editor The Diamond Bar High School boys water polo team fought hard in their most recent game and continue to swim forward into a successful season. “Our main focus right now is the defensive side of the game and controlling the ball and limiting our turnovers,” head water polo coach Gary Cheever said. Currently, the boys water polo team is 2-0 in the Mount Baldy League, ranking the team in first place. On September 22, the boys water polo team dominated Los Altos High School and took the game 19-8. Thus far, the boys water polo team holds a total game record of 6-5. “I like where we’re at and every game we’re right there with whoev-
er we’re playing against,” Cheever said. “I’ve scheduled a really tough schedule so we have no push-over games so far as our non-league games go.” Much of the team’s strength is due to their consistent practice in and out of the pool, ranging from defensive positioning and ball handling to basic swimming. One of the reasons for increased practice time is due to the team having more games scheduled than previous years. Despite the difficult game and practice schedules, the team still maintains high morale. “It’s very rigorous with all different sorts of skills that we go over,” senior Jude Solis said via text. “I think our team status is pretty good so far, our team chemistry has gotten better over time.” Throughout the past few games, a few players that stood out to Cheever for their performance in games and during practice are senior Nick Murray, senior Jude Solis and freshman Diego Solis, all playing in set positions. The boys water polo team’s upcoming game will be a home game against Yorba Linda High School on Thursday, October 7 at 4:15 p.m.
VASH CHEN
The Brahmas continue to maintain their strong defense in the Mount Baldy League.
CLAIRE WU
The Brahmas remained strong in the offensive end at their game against Glendora High School, which they won 59-54.
Brahmas pivot into promising season Boys basketball acclimates to underclassmen joining the roster as season begins with Fall League. vera wang asst. sports editor As Diamond Bar High School’s boys basketball team smoothly transitions into their post-pandemic season, the once empty bleachers and sweat-soaked masks are now a notion of the past. With the Brahmas already coming out victorious in their first two games, the start of fall league marks the beginning of a highly anticipated season. In their most recent game, the team played Glendora High School on Sep. 25, where both teams grappled for the win up until the fourth quarter. Out-rebounding the Tartans and holding an impressive 73 percent free throw shooting accuracy, the Brahmas ultimately prevailed 5954.
Some of the main scorers included junior Richi Calimag with 12 points, senior Harry Zhang with 9, as well as senior Dylan Stout and junior Malcolm Bell with a combined total of 16. “We played with a lot of intensity and energy which is good, but since there’s a lot of new players we’re all just getting used to each other a little bit,” Bell said. “We had a couple good blocks, a couple dunks, and played pretty good defense throughout the game.” In addition to their pre-season games, the team also practices three times a week for two and a half hours each day, splitting their time between the weightroom and the gym. “The coaches are pushing us hard in practice and expect nothing but 110 percent of our effort every time we step in the gym,” junior Alex Kim said. There has also been the implementation of a new program called “AirAlert” this year, which focuses on training the players’ vertical leaps. Overall, the abundance of both athleticism and leadership on the
team will prove to be extremely valuable strengths as the Brahmas prepare to compete against some of the most competitive teams in their division. “The upperclassman and returning players know the expectations the coaches have on us, and allow for us to push the younger guys to reach those expectations as well,” Kim said. “We’re a fast paced team, and no one on the team slows us down in terms of fast breaks and transition defense.” In terms of improvement, the players are working to limit their amount of turnovers per game as well as perimeter shooting. With the influx of new players, the team is also striving to elevate communication, both offensively and defensively. “Our goal as a team this year is winning that ring at the end of CIF and celebrating in the locker room after the final big win,” Bell said. “I’m looking forward to all the memories we’re going to make as a team.” The boys basketball team will be playing against San Dimas High School on Oct. 16.